ITANAGAR, 15 Nov: Governor BD Mishra along with tribal leaders of the state celebrated the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, commemorating the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, at the Raj Bhavan here on Monday.
The governor interacted with community-based leaders of different tribes of the state and hosted a high tea on the occasion.
“Birsa Munda was a great freedom fighter, a people’s leader and a regional hero who fought for the rights of the tribal people and strived for preservation of tribal faith, culture and traditions. The people revered him so much that they gave him the title of ‘Bhagwan’,” the governor said.
He said that the tribal people of India immensely contributed in the nation’s freedom struggle and the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to acknowledge their sacrifices and contributions.
“The activities and objectives of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas must not confine to the celebration only but promote welfare activities for the tribal people with futuristic vision,” Mishra said, and urged the tribal leaders not to forget the past, when tribal people took part in the freedom movement.
“Now the tribal leaders must take the society, state and the nation on the path of progress and prosperity, work for the wellbeing of the posterity and conservation of nature’s bounty,” he said.
On behalf of the tribal communities, PG Tago and Olen Megu Damin conveyed their gratitude to the central government and to the governor for the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas celebration. They said that the celebration would help in highlighting the contributions of tribal communities in the freedom struggle.
Former RGU registrar Dr Tai Nyori presented a book titled A Freedom Movement in the Twilight – Tribal Patriotism in the North-Eastern Frontier Tracts of India, authored by him, to the governor. (Raj Bhavan)
